"The Hurt Locker's" Anthony Mackie is in negotations to play the Falcon in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"Fresh from its buzz-generating Hall H presentation at Comic-Con International, Marvel Studios is wasting no time in lining up the cast for "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, executives have begun negotiations with "The Hurt Locker" actor Anthony Mackie to play the Falcon alongside Chris Evans' Sentinel of Liberty in the sequel to the studio's 2011 hit. Brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, best known for "You, Me and Dupree" and NBC's "Community," will direct.

Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, the Falcon (AKA Sam Wilson) debuted in 1969's "Captain America" #117 , and teamed with the star-spangled hero throughout much of the 1970s. A skilled fighter with an empathic link to his falcon Redwing and a suit that allows him to fly, Wilson has served as a member of The Avengers. The Falcon also played a prominent role in far more recent "Captain America" storylines, adding even more fuel to speculation that the sequel will borrow heavily from writer Ed Brubaker's run on the title (if the title "The Winter Soldier" weren't enough indication).

The 32-year-old Mackie, who made his feature debut in 2002 with "8 Mile," can now be seen in "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter." He'll next appear with Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling and Sean Penn in the Warner Bros. crime film "The Gangster Squad." Spinoff Online interviewed Mackie just last month.

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" opens April 4, 2014.